Tuesday 13 December 2022
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Monday 12 December 2022
That's Christmas: OriginalPeople provides personalised gifts for ori...
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That's Christmas: Ryde partners with Port to improve last-mile deliv...
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That's Christmas: M&S Food Reaches Milestone Of 50million Meals Dona...
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Something new from Thatchers Cider in time for Christmas
With a delightful and lightly fragranced aroma, and soft rounded finish, Katy & Redstreak has a fine, full flavour, combining the characteristics of both of the apple varieties used.
Katy, Thatchers' signature single variety, is a beautiful dessert apple that offers a light, crisp sweetness, whilst the Somerset Redstreak apple, prized for its cider making qualities since the 17th century, brings a bold spiciness and a deep rich colour to the cider.
Katy & Redstreak is a contemporary style cider made from 100% freshly pressed apples grown in West Country orchards.
Thatchers Katy & Redstreak is available in 500ml bottle for purchase online, here https://www.thatcherscider.co.uk/cider/cider-barn/katy-redstreak.
Thatchers Cider is a fourth generation cider maker, based in Sandford, Somerset.
We at That's Christmas feel that this will make an excellent cider drink for your Christmas feasting.
This Veganuary the Proof Is in the Pudding: We Love Cake Launches Free-from Puddings and Tarts for January
The Cumbrian-based bakery will launch THREE brand new desserts into Sainsbury's stores, hitting shelves nationwide in the new year.
Buckle up for the release of 'Choc-a-lot' chocolate Pudding, 'When life gives you lemons' Lemon Tarts and 'Caramelicious' Salted Caramel and chocolate tarts – guaranteed to satisfy the sweetest of sweet tooths.
Promising indulgence and great flavour, all three desserts are vegan, gluten, wheat and milk free.
Made on the edge of the Lake District by renowned family bakers since 1946; these delicious desserts are baked in small batches by skilful bakers and are then finished by hand. They promise to taste-match your favourite household flavours without compromising on your vegan dietary needs.
The gluten free desserts are registered with Coeliac UK and the Vegan Society and declared as suitable for those with coeliac disease, even if they aren't vegans.
Get your hands on these hyper-indulgent vegan treats. Choc-a-lot RRP £3.00 and Caramelicious tarts RRP £2.50. Available in packs of two, the 'When life gives you lemons' tarts were awarded Best New Bakery Product of the year, RRP £2.50.
To celebrate the exciting new launch, the puddings will be available under an introductory offer for January– 'Choc-a-lot' puddings £2.50 and the tarts £2. The puddings are also available online via Sainsburys.
Sunday 11 December 2022
That's Christmas: Beyond Meat for your Christmas dinner. Everyone wi...
That's Christmas: Beyond Meat for your Christmas dinner. Everyone wi...: If your entire family is vegetarian or vegan, or if you have a vegetarian or vegan family member or will be hosting a vegetarian or vegan gu...
Smoky Beyond Mince Quesadilla
Smoky Beyond Mince Quesadilla is a recipe from Beyond Meat.
You may well have tried non-meat mince before but unless you have tried Beyond Meat mince (or their Meatballs or their Sausages) then you haven't really lived.
Yes, they are jam-packed with protein and are plant-based so good for the environment and great for vegans and vegetarians, but they are also utterly delicious and making a positive impact on omnivorous eaters, too! Exchanges like "What? Are you sure this isn't meat?" "Yes! I'm sure!" are taking place.
We have a recipe from Beyond Meat for Smoky Beyond Mince Quesadilla.
It serves 4 takes 15 minutes to prepare and the cooking time is an hour.
The ingredients you require are 300g of Beyond Mince
8 wheat tortillas
2tsp of fajita seasoning
200g of grated plant-based smoky cheese
4 mixed coloured peppers, de-seeded and halved.
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 200c or 180c fan over, or mark 6 for gas.
Place the peppers in a roasting dish and drizzle them, with an oil of your choice. Roast them in the oven for 30 minutes or until they are softened.
Heat a large frying pan and fry the mince with the fajita seasoning, for approximately eight minutes until cooked through. Then set aside.
Remove the peppers from the oven and roughly chop them.
Heat a clean frying pan and add one of the tortilla wraps. Sprinkle a little of the grated cheese over it , then spread a quarter of the mince and peppers, making sure to create an even layer. Sprinkle with a little more of the cheese then top with a second tortilla wrap. Press down and cook foe 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is a lovely golden colour. Remove from the pan, keep warm and repeat until all the tortillas are used up.
Cut into wedges and serve.
This was 100% absolutely delicious and we can heartily recommend it.
Saturday 10 December 2022
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That's Christmas: Don't fall victim to parking misery this Christmas!
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Friday 9 December 2022
That's Christmas: Homemade alcoholic drinks for Christmas
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Thursday 8 December 2022
Would you buy plant-based foods blended with cultivated meat? one third of people 'probably would'
“Knowing taste and health are two of the most important purchase drivers when it comes to plant-based foods, hybrid plant-based/cultivated food products do show a strong potential to respond to consumer demand,” Mathilde Alexandre, Senior Project Manager at ProVeg International, said.
So, how do consumers perceive hybrid plant-based/cultivated food products?
ProVeg International conducted an online survey among 1,000 participants in the UK last July to gauge how consumers might perceive hybrid products.
A spokesperson for ProVeg International said: "It's encouraging to see over one third of respondents would 'probably' or 'definitely' buy and eat hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat porducts.
"30% of respondents are unsure whether they would eat or buy hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat, meaning there's still plenty of room to inform the public about what these food products are and their benefits to positively influence them."
Respondents expect hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat to be good for animals (57%) and the environment (57%), nutritious (54%), healthy (50%) and safe (50%).
Age, gender, and level of education are demographic factors that play a role in people’s willingness to buy and eat hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat.
Overall, university-educated Millennials and Gen Z men are more open to hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat. 51% of university-educated men up to 45 years old (Millennials and Gen Z) would probably or definitely eat hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat.
47% of university-educated men up to 45 years old (Millennials and Gen Z) would probably or definitely buy hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat.
Dr Chris Bryant, an alternative proteins expert, said: "It's encouraging to see so many consumers would be open to buying and eating hybrid plant-based/cultivated meat products.
"Many are even anticipating eating such products on at least a weekly basis. As with other similar products, we see the highest appeal to younger, more educated consumers, and overall, we see quite high expectations for the quality of such products."
You can check the full report out here https://corporate.proveg.com/report/hybrid-consumer.
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Nature's Choice Bistro - a Pop-Up Cafe Celebrating Organic foods
The 'Crittery' Acclaimed two-day only bistro features a beautiful menu made in tribute to nature's key workers who play vital and essential roles in our global food system.
The organic menu is being carefully and lovingly crafted around foods that work in harmony with nature and will be served as an instagrammable tasting board.
The bistro and shop will be situated at 46 Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 January.
The humble earthworm, honey bee and ladybird would call out for natural food with no pesticides or chemicals. If nature had a voice, these are the dishes they'd call for. Fully organic, pesticide free and working closely with nature. Dotted around the Bistro are the 5 Star reviews the food has already achieved including online rave reviews saying 'Snailed it' and 'Great Grub'!
The fully organic tasting experience will include delicious salads, chocolate soils, edible flowers and nectar infused treats. The full menu contains both vegan and non-vegan options.
The pop up was created in celebration of Organic September run by the Organic Trade Board and has been kindly sponsored by Clipper, Kallo, Alter Eco, Whole Earth, Doves Farm, Crazy Jacks, Natracare and Yeo Valley.
For tickets visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/natures-choice-bistro-tickets-412245275717.
That's Christmas: Be prepared for Asda's latest festive drinks offer
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Wednesday 7 December 2022
Residents asked to report poaching incidents to help salmon and sea trout populations
Illegal poaching can have a severe and devastating impact on local fish populations, with numbers coming under particular threat during the salmon and trout spawning season, which usually occurs from around November to January.
NRW’s call for support from the public comes in the year that Wales recorded the lowest catches of both salmon and sea trout in 2021, the lowest since consistent records began in 1970s.
Salmon and sea trout (sewin) are both iconic species in Wales, requiring high quality freshwater habitats to thrive and are a key indicator of the environmental quality of river catchments, while also providing important opportunities for healthy and valuable recreation.
With the spawning season now underway, NRW is urging the public to be vigilant and to report any information they may have on illegal poaching to its incidents team.
David Powell, NRW North East Operations Manager, said: “We take all reports of illegal activity that threatens salmon and sea trout populations extremely seriously.
“Poaching tip-offs from the public can be of huge help in helping stabilise local fish populations whilst providing NRW Enforcement Officers with crucial information to bring a halt to such illegal activity.
“At this time of year, keep an eye out for any netting in rivers, signs of poaching such as disturbed banks, dead fish or hidden nets. It is also very important to report any lamping activity seen along the upper reaches of rivers.
“Please also be aware of any suspicious online content you may come across involving individuals selling salmon and sea trout or sharing images through social media accounts.
“We are calling on the public to report any suspicious or illegal activity on our rivers, lakes and reservoirs, by please reporting it to the NRW incident hotline on 0300 065 3000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
The loss of salmon and trout will impact legitimate fishermen and women and damage the interests of restaurants, hotels and the like.
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Craft Beer Brand Celebrates Supermarket Success With Waitrose Deal for Brand New Lager just in time for Christmas
Empress Ale's craft beers are already stocked in leading eateries and restaurants across the country but the craft brewery has increased its offering by adding a lager to its range for the first time, with the new creation snapped up by the supermarket chain for sale across the country.
Midlands-based Empress was launched by entrepreneur Surj Virk in 2016 and has since grown into a premium brand whose Pale Ale and IPA are stocked in some of the top hospitality venues across the country, including restaurants owned by top chefs Tom Kerridge and Jason Atherton.
The company has now created a British-produced Pilsner-style Lager, which is gluten-free, organic and vegan and is now available in 273 Waitrose stores in the UK.
Founder and MD Surj said: “Empress is hugely personal to me, it's a British-made beer using old English recipes for inspiration, but also gives a nod to my Indian heritage and some personal tributes to members of my family.
“For me, Empress really is a true modern British brand and we're delighted that our new, unique product, a pilsner-style lager, is being stocked by Waitrose. It doesn't just taste great but is also vegan, organic and gluten-free, making it perfect for the modern beer drinker.”
The new creation adds to an already-successful range from Empress, which was created with the aim of being a unique, easy-drinking premium craft beer range that pairs particularly well with food. Soon after its launch, it was served as a guest beer in the House of Commons Strangers' Bar shortly, and since then has gone on to gain the seal of approval from an array of top chefs, bars and hospitality venues.
Like many food and drink businesses, Empress faced difficult times during the Covid pandemic but has continued to grow year on year, securing investment from Grenville Turner, former CEO of Countrywide PLC and former Zoopla board member, which helped take it onto the next stage and add to the range.
Surj added: “Our aim has always been to create a great-tasting British-made drink that pairs well with foods and stands out from the crowd. We pride ourselves on using the best of available ingredients, sourced as locally as possible, to create a truly British beer.
“The fact Waitrose decided to stock our lager is testament to the great product we've made and we are eager for people to try it. This is the next step on our journey and we can't wait to see what comes next.”
For more information, visit www.empressale.com.
This looks likely to be a good Christmas present for the beer and lager drinkers in your life so our advice? Nip along to Waitrose and get some in! Or visit https://www.waitrose.com.
Tuesday 6 December 2022
Now that's convenient! Asda to create 10,000 new convenience store jobs
Today Asda opened its second Asda Express convenience store and confirmed its plans to open 300 more by the end of 2026, to bring Asda value and its great products to even more customers and local communities all over the UK.
With sales in convenience stores forecast to grow by 13% to over £50bn by 2027, the development of a new Asda store network in this market is a key part of Asda’s long-term growth strategy to become the UK’s second largest supermarket.
Asda is looking to bring the Express concept to customers in convenient neighbourhood and residential settings, especially in areas where there isn't a nearby Asda store. The second Express store to open is part of a residential development in Tottenham Hale, north London, adjacent to the tube and overground railway station.
Each Asda Express store is designed to cater for a broad range of customer requirements and needs, including ‘top up’ shops for essential items like milk and bread, grabbing a spot of lunch on the go, or buying the fresh ingredients to cook a dinner from scratch.
The Asda Express stores will stock around 3,000 products, including a comprehensive range of fresh, ambient and chilled groceries, plus products from Asda’s premium Extra Special range and a broad selection of beers, wines and spirits.
Customers will also enjoy a range of hot and cold ‘food for now’ options from Asda and partner brands such as Leon, plus ‘food for later’ choices like ready meals, pizzas, stir frys and a selection of £10 meal deals for two people. Asda’s ‘toyou’ parcel collection and return services and a rapid delivery service through Uber Eats will also be available in some of the stores.
Mohsin Issa, Asda’s co-owner said: “A key part of our growth strategy is to provide customers with more opportunities to shop at Asda closer to where they live or work. With over three quarters of the UKs population having visited a convenience store in the last 12 months, the potential for growth in this market is really significant. Our ambition is to become the convenience destination of choice by providing shoppers great value and a comprehensive, convenient range of products and services under one roof.”
The target of 300 Asda Express stores by the end of 2026 does not include the convenience stores Asda is acquiring from the Co-op. This deal is currently going through the CMA’s normal competition review process.
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Monday 5 December 2022
Britain Loves Baking founder to give away 75% of new start-up Cakery Wonderland
Britain Loves Baking is a purpose driven enterprise, its aim is to help create a world where no one goes hungry. Since its inception in June 2020, the company has donated over 10,000 baked goods to the homeless in Leicester as part of its social purpose. It's helped over 4,000 people who suffer with their mental health by giving them a mindful baking box free of charge.
Cakery Wonderland is the first in-house venture setup with a loan provided by the founder Greg Wixted, a serial entrepreneur and lecturer in entrepreneurship. Within four months it was profitable. Now he plans to give up to 75% of it away, as he looks for a young chef who wants to run their own business and is passionate about finding ways to help eradicate food hunger and poverty.
As the advert stated: "This not a job offer, one applicant will become owner and director from day one."
Its new owner will get three months intense business training on a programme designed to help them grow an impactful venture. They will have their own kitchen within Britain Loves Baking's London- based production facility for up to one year, along with access to its supply chain and suppliers.
The chosen applicant will be mentored by Wixted and his team and supported by a year of management, hospitality and industry courses to support them in their role.
The idea came about after Britain Loves Baking spent some time working with Re-London to create a more sustainable business model. Like its sister company, Cakery Wonderland will put 10% of its revenue to fund grants for disadvantaged young people with a great purpose driven, food based, new business idea.
Commenting on the announcement, CEO and founder Greg Wixted said: "We firmly believe in putting people and purpose before profits and shareholders. If we're to help end food poverty, we must embrace new business ideas like this. We must invest in helping purpose driven food entrepreneurs who will go on to help others and help create a world where no one goes hungry."
Applicants wishing to apply will be interviewed, and the successful candidates will take part in a challenging bake-off. The final chosen candidate will spend a paid week in the business before delivering a final pitch on their vision for the concept. The process itself will be fun and educational.
The company is looking to have its new owner in place by the beginning of this month, December. Anyone over the age of 18 and with 18 months to two years of baking or catering experience, formally or informally taught was invited to apply.
https://britainlovesbaking.com/collections/cakery-wonderland
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Ahmad Tea and Galerie Du Thé Secure Double Listing at Harrods
Ahmad Tea, which is available in over 90 countries, has created an iconic collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which will be available in Harrods' London store, as well as online. In the collection of high-quality teas, called 'Beyond the Leaf', there are four classic loose tea blends, each presented in a sophisticated and eye-catching caddy. A selection pack which includes all four blends in teabags is also available.
Making its retail debut will be a selection of teas from Ahmad Tea's luxury loose leaf range: Galerie du Thé. Its mission is to deliver tea so fresh that it captures the essence of the garden where it grew. The teas are from small-batch gardens in remote places.
There will be eight loose leaf teas available in Harrods in addition to a Discovery Pack which showcases a variety of extraordinary blends. The selection includes the Great Taste Award-winning Jasmine Dragon Pearls, Kirimara Sunrise, Secret Garden and Emperor's Peak.
Gary Winslade, Ahmad Tea UK Sales Manager commented, “We're incredibly excited to have secured this listing with Harrods and to have the opportunity to introduce Harrods' clientele to our range of exceptional tasting blends. Harrods is the perfect retail destination for our teas as we share the same laser focus on high quality.”
Harrods is the latest in a string of UK listings for Ahmad Tea which has also recently launched its teas in Booths, Ocado and World Duty Free.
Ahmad Tea is a family company founded and run-on family values, headquartered in Southampton, UK. It only works with the finest tea gardens around the world and every blend is sampled seven times during the journey from being plucked to cup – a process overseen by its Chairman, Mr Rahim Afshar, and his team of world-leading Tea Masters. Nothing leaves the Ahmad Tea tasting room until they are sure it will make an extraordinary cup of tea, destined to inspire tea lovers everywhere.
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It's National Apricot Day on Ninth January
Did You Know that our apricot name is probably derived from the Arabic 'al barquq' meaning 'early ripening', via the French 'abricot?'
They are low in calories and also low in fat and are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and dietary fibre.
Prunus Armeniaca is a member of the Rosaceae family along with peaches, apples and pears; but as the least hardy member of the family, apricot trees require some special care to fruit successfully in the British climate.
Apricots are the national fruit of Armenia, from where they are thought to have originated, with China and India also likely sources.
Although one of the earliest ripening fruits of Summer, January is a little too early to enjoy them fresh from the tree, so why not choose to celebrate these juicy, tasty beauties with a luscious Bonne Maman Apricot Yoghurt? Or maybe it's the day to top some overnight soaked oats with Bonne Maman Apricot Compote?
Maybe you could take the opportunity to bake a true showstopper with an Apricot Meringue Roulade, filled with Apricot Compote, double cream and topped with flaked almonds. Or, if following a Veganuary commitment, try a generous swirl of extra fruit-filled Bonne Maman Apricot Intense Conserve on some lacy Apricot Vegan Crêpes with toasted nuts.
The Bonne Maman Apricot Range includes: Apricot Yoghurt, Apricot Conserve, Apricot Intense and Apricot Compote. Delicious!
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Nearly half of Brits feel sense of hopelessness about rising food costs, but aren’t aware of available support
New research from Co-op reveals a third of those impacted by the rising cost of living are turning to food charities more often.
With household bills on the rise, an independent survey commissioned by the ethical convenience retailer revealed that almost a half of Britons (48%) feel a sense of hopelessness when thinking about the cost of food.
The increasing demand on food banks has been widely reported on in recent months, as the pressure of rising food cost increases. The independent study of 2,000 Britons showed the need for alternative sustainable solutions, as the survey suggests there's a stigma around the use of food banks, which continues to be a barrier.
Of those most impacted and turning to food banks, over half (56%) aren’t aware of alternative, sustainable and dignified food projects which can help improve household finances.
As part of its mission to ensure communities and members have better access to sustainable food solutions, Co-op has announced a major new partnership with Your Local Pantry - a low-cost food project and community hub. The partnership, funded by Co-op Members, will see the Your Local Pantry network triple within three years from 75 to 225 Pantries across the UK, with the addition of 150 new Pantries.
To date, Your Local Pantry has helped tens of thousands of households strengthen their community, improve finances and access more affordable food as well as reduce isolation and improve mental health. In fact, 76% of those who have benefited from access to Your Local Pantry membership have felt that it's been beneficial for their mental health.
The network, backed by the charity Church Action on Poverty, has expanded rapidly since the first Pantry was opened by Stockport Homes Group in 2013, accelerating throughout the recent global pandemic, as communities sought sustainable responses to the financial impact of the lockdowns.
Through the new partnership, Co-op and Your Local Pantry aim to support over 32,000 households over the next three years, saving Local Pantry members nearly £5million on shopping bills, up to £1,000 a year for each Pantry user. Co-op will raise awareness of affordable community solutions to food initiatives, helping to tackle household finances as costs continue to increase.
Unlike a food bank, Pantries are open to all and work like any other grocery store, in that members choose the food they want from the shelves. Members pay a few pounds per shop and in return can choose groceries worth many times more than that amount.
The partnership is just one of the initiatives launched by Co-op to support its customers, colleagues and members access more affordable food and manage household budgets. Earlier this year, Co-op invested £37M to lower the price of the 120 most frequently purchased products, and locked in these low prices until the New Year.
Since 2016, Co-op members have raised £117 million for local communities, including funding for over 30,000 local community projects supporting an estimated 7M people across the UK throughout the Co-op’s Local Community Fund.
Rebecca Birkbeck, Director of Community and Membership Participation said: “At Co-op, we believe everyone should be able to access to good quality food. It's thanks to our members we're able to support this innovative partnership with Your Local Pantry, plus many other initiatives, like our investment grow Hubbub’s Community Fridge network.
"We're obviously very proud to be continuing to support Your Local Pantry, which offers communities a long-term, sustainable solution to help manage their household finances and learn new skills. For all at Co-op, this feels like a real step in the right direction to ensure fairer access to food for all.”
James Henderson, Your Local Pantry Network Development Coordinator, added: “Pantries are fantastic places. They bring people together around food, soften the impact of high living costs, and strengthen the power and potential of neighbourhoods.
"Communities have long wanted to improve food security while upholding dignity, choice and hope, and Pantries are a proven win-win solution. We're really excited to be teaming up with the Co-op, so another 150 neighbourhoods can open Pantries of their own."
Robots roll-out in Yorkshire as Co-op and Starship Technologies bring autonomous food delivery to Leeds in time for Christmas
The service will be available to 20,000 residents initially in the Adel and Tinshill area of Leeds, with groceries picked fresh in local Co-op stores on Spen Lane (Tinshill) and Otley Road (Adel) for delivery quickly and conveniently within the community.
Orders are made via the Starship food delivery app, available for download on iOS and Android with Leeds residents able to choose from a range of grocery items, schedule their delivery, then drop a pin where they want their delivery to be sent.
Customers can order their delivery to arrive in under an hour and watch the robot travel in real-time via an interactive map. Customers receive an alert when the robot arrives, and can meet and unlock it via the app.
With a delivery fee starting at just 99p, the robots have become a much-loved presence across a number of communities. The expansion in the North of England for the first time follows the successful introduction of autonomous deliveries in Milton Keynes, Bedford, Northampton, Cambourne, and most recently Cambridge. Since the robots were first introduced into the UK, an estimated 1.1 million miles of car journeys have been saved with a total 445-tonne reduction in CO2 emissions.
Starship’s robots are powered with renewable electricity, with an average delivery for a robot consuming as little energy as boiling a kettle to make one cup of tea, making them a more sustainable and affordable way to get groceries delivered to your own door.
Chris Conway, eCommerce Director, at the Co-op, said: “Co-op is committed to exploring new and innovative ways to increase access to its products and services. Our members and customers lead busy lives and so ease, speed and convenience is a cornerstone of our approach. Co-op stores are well placed to provide quick home deliveries in communities with products picked fresh in our local stores, whether that is a full grocery shop or for those last-minute top-ups, treats for evenings at home or forgotten items. We're delighted to be expanding into Yorkshire to provide flexible, quick and convenient options online for shoppers in our communities.”
Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “As a council we're firmly committed to delivering alternative, sustainable methods of travel to help reach our target of becoming net-zero by 2030. We're trying to reduce the number of short journeys made by car, including those made by delivery vehicles. I’m really excited by the launch of this pilot, which will be trialled for three months in north-west Leeds.
“Since the pandemic, we've seen a huge increase in the number of home deliveries. This pilot will be transformative and provide an alternative home delivery provision which will particularly benefit residents with mobility problems or those facing other challenges which make accessing local facilities difficult. I'd encourage residents in Adel and Tinshill to feedback their thoughts on the delivery robots during the pilot by visiting the council’s survey at starshipleeds.commonplace.is.”
Alastair Westgarth, CEO at Starship Technologies, added: “We are delighted to bring the benefits of autonomous delivery to residents in Leeds. This is our first significant expansion to the north of England, and we are confident the robots will make a positive impact in terms of actively reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions, while also providing ease and convenience for local communities.
"Our robots have been widely welcomed as part of the community in all the areas we operate, and we're confident they'll be equally embraced in Leeds. We're looking forward to working closely with Leeds City Council and the Co-op and hope to further expand our service to more parts of Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region in the near future.”
The robots are battery operated, lightweight and travel at the speed of a pedestrian (no faster than 4mph). They use a combination of sensors, AI, and machine learning to travel on pavements and navigate around obstacles, while computer vision-based navigation helps them map their environment to the nearest inch.
Starship, which was created by the co-founders of communications system Skype in 2014, currently operates a fully commercial service in five countries around the globe and a number of towns and cities in the UK in partnership with Co-op including Milton Keynes; Bedford; Northampton; Cambridge and, now Leeds. Residents in all of these UK towns and cities can also expect to see Starship’s robots celebrating Christmas in the coming weeks, with the robots dressed as reindeer while making deliveries to excited families.
Since launching commercial deliveries in 2018, Starship’s robots have safely completed more than four million deliveries around the world with more and more people using the service to save time and fit shopping around their busy lives. Globally, the robots undertake 140,000 road crossings every day.
Co-op has expanded its online offer at pace with its stores across the country well placed in the heart of local communities to serve shoppers. A key part of its strategy is to develop its ecommerce offer using its store footprint to provide 'quick convenience' locally, with products picked fresh in local Co-op stores which act as micro-distribution hubs in the community - delivering quality and value conveniently through its online grocery delivery partnerships and, its own online shop: shop.coop.co.uk.
((Image courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors and Pixabay)
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